Centrifugal smut-machine and grain-scourer



L N. LESTER.

Smutv Maxhirre.`

Patented Aug. 17,1858.

@45K i naar .cnr N In n wr J, Tg1. www? 1 J.` N. LESTER, OF OSWEGO, NEWYORK.

CENTRIFUGAL Sll/IUT-MACHINE .AND GRAIN-SCGURER.

To @ZZ whom t may concern.:

Be it known that I, J. N. LESTER, of Oswego, in the county of Oswego andState of New York, have invented a new and Improved Smut-lvlachine; andI do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawings,making a part of this specification, in which,-

Figure l, is a vertical central section of my invention. Fig. 2, is ahorizontal section of ditto, taken in the line ai, a', Fig. l.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the twofigures.

This invention consists in the employment or use of a series of rotatingand stationary conical scourers placed within a proper case, therotating scourers being placed on a hollow shaft and the wholeconstructed and arranged relatively with each other and with a lfan ashereinafter described whereby the grain will be thoroughly cleansed fromsmut, dust and like impurities in a very eX- peditious manner.

To enable those skilled in the art to fully understand and construct myinvention I will proceed to describe it.

A, represents a framing of rectangular form and sufficiently heavy tosupport well the working parts of the machine. This framing may beformed of a rectangular bedpiece c, and four uprights b, one at eachcorner, the uprights being connected at their upper ends by cross tiesc. The framing may be constructed of wood.

B, represents an inverted conical metal dish which forms the lower endof the machine, and is tted in the bedpiece a. This dish has an openingCZ, at its lower end and a step e, is suspended to the lower end ofldish B, by curved bars f, said step being a screw g, tted in a socket71as shown clearly in Fig. l. To the upper edge of the dish B, a met-alrim C, is attached. This rim has curved sides and it is supported byup-V right lugs or ears z', which are cast with it. The rim C, is socurved as to leave a small space j, between its lower end and the upperend of B, as shown clearly in Fig. 1. To the upper end of the rim C, aninverted conical and a dish or plate D, is attached to C. A

rim C, is also attached to dish or plate D, and a dish or plat-e D, isattached to rim C.

On the under side of each dish or plate D, D, D, a series of pendent andannular scouring ledges Z, are formed. Three ledges are shown in thedrawings but more may be used if desired. These ledges may be formed ofconcentric projections having teeth m, cast with them, the teethprojecting down a short distance below the ledges Z, and projectingoutward from `their face sides, see more particularly Fig. 3.

E, is a hollow metal shaft which. is placed vertically and cent-rallywithin the rims C,

' and plates D, and has its lower end stepped in the screen g. The shafthas a series of inverted conical plates F, F, F, attached. Thesen platesare each provided with three annular upright and concentric scouringledges n, which are constructed precisely similar to the ledges Z, ofthe plates D, D', D. The ledges n, of the plates F, fit between theledges Z, of the plates D, as shown clearly in Fig. l, the teeth n, 0,of the respective ledges being opposite each other.

The rims C, and plates D, D', D, and F, F, F any proper number beingused, are encompassed by a cylindrical case G, the upper end of whichcommunicates by passages or tubes p, with a fan boX H. In' the shaft E,holes g, are made, just below the plates F.

I, is a fan placed on the upper end of the shaft E, and within the boXI-I, and J, is aspout which passes through the top of the case G, acurved spout K, from the fan box I-I, communicating with spout J.

L, is the eduction spout of the fan box l-I.

M, is a driving pulley on shaft E.

The operation is as follows: The wheat to be cleaned designated by redarrows passes down the spout J, into the case Gr, and falls on the upperpart of the top dish or plate D, the wheat being subjected to a suctionblast in passing down said spout, the blast entering spout K, asindicated by arrows l. This blast which is produced by fan I, takes allthe loose smut and dirt from the grain before it enters the machine. The

grain passes down the dish D, and through an opening r, between thelower end of the dish and shaft E, and falls on the plate F,

and the grain owing to the centrifugal force generated by the rotationof the plate F,

is forced under and over the scouring ledges Z, n, which form a sinuousscouring surface, the teeth m, 0, serving as corrugations. The wheatpasses oft' of plate F, and falls on the dish or plate D, and in passingdown said plate is subjected to a suction blast which passes through theholes g, in the shaft E, the smut and dirt that was loosened as thegrain passed through the scouring passage being drawn through the spacey', and up between the outer sides of the rims C, C', C, and the case G,and through the passages p, into the box H, the smut and dirtbeingejected from the fan boX through L, the wheat passes successivelythrough the several sinuous scouring passages in the same way as itpassed through the one described and is subjected to a blast as itpasses down each plate D, D, D, the wheat being discharged through theopening cl.

The shaft E, and plates F, may be raised at any time by adjusting nut g.

This machine performs its work very eflciently and in a rapid manner.The loose smut and dirt being removed previous to the scouring and thegrain being subjected to a continuous blast during the whole of itspassage through the machine, the smut and dirt cannot be ground into theeye of the grain as is the case to a greater or less extent with allother machines with which I am acquainted.

I do not claim separately the parts herein described for they or theirequivalents have all been used under different form of arrangement andin connection with various devices forming the majority of smut machinesin use, I am not aware however that sinuous scouring passages arrangedwith a fan, hollow shaft, cylindrical case and induction blast spout asherein shown, have been used.

I claim therefore as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent,

The rotating conical plates F, F, F, attached to the hollow shaft E, incombination with the stationary conical plates D, D', D, rims C,cylinder case G, and fan I, the plates F, F, F, and D, D, D, beingprovided with scouring ledges Z, n, and the whole arranged relativelywith the fan I, induction spout J, and blast spout K, substantially asand for the purpose set forth.

- J. N. LESTER.

Witnesses:

HENRY ADRIANOE, CHAS. E. SKINNER.

